NGO demands a standardised level of service in response to increased firearms licensing fees

On 15 January 2025, the Home Office published its new fee structure for firearms licensing, which will come into force on 5 February 2025. The new fees were expected: the Labour Party manifesto, published in advance of the election, declared that they would charge full cost for certificates. However, there was no notification given that this would happen imminently; in fact the Minister of Policing, Dame Diana Johnson MP, had met with members of the British Shooting Sports Council two days before, but did not mention any imminent fee restructure.

 

As background, the current review of licensing fees was launched by a meeting at The HO in April 2022 at which NGO firearms advisers were present. There was a broad acceptance that since fees had not changed since 2015, an increase was inevitable – but by how much?

 

There was strong representation that any increase should be the minimum necessary and should be in line with the usual cost of living or inflation indices. It was also argued that the fee and any increase should not include other functions often performed by firearms licensing units, but should solely reflect licensing costs. Finally that since certificate holders are tax and rate payers, already contributing to the police stipend, some of the service of licensing should be born through this channel. These have been basic principles of licensing since the inception of the Firearms Act in 1968.

 

NGO representatives also attended the National Police Firearms Licensing Conference as a guest of the police at their college.

 

Here it was discussed with both firearms officials and Home Office representatives who outlined that full cost recovery would be a positive move to get the system rolling again with much needed funding, allowing timescales to reduce and staff training so that Firearms Enquiry Officers are applying uniform standards across all forces and the disparity gone. Assurances were given that this would be the case, and indeed we know that many firearms officers are also very keen for this to happen.

 

Then on 20 December 2024, the NGO received a letter from the Home Office stating that a Statutory Instrument would be laid before parliament establishing full cost recovery, and that the additional revenue used would be retained by the police to support the improvements necessary in firearms licensing. We replied that if there is to be full cost recovery, we would expect there to be a clearly defined standard of service.

 

The NGO will continue to battle for an improved service from the few forces who are clearly underperforming and failing to provide the service required.

 

Now that the licensing fee has been increased, we believe there is reason to demand an immediate service level agreement across all forces, to bring those forces who are falling behind up to the service of the best. We would suggest that Chief Constables who fail in their responsibility to discharge their responsibilities in good time (8 weeks but 16 in very exceptional circumstances) should have sanctions imposed on them.

 

If some forces can deal with their business in under 8 weeks, why have we so many forces that are taking several months and some (14 based on the last available data) taking 6 months or more? A reasonable service level should be achievable, with proper investment, within 6 months of the new increased fees coming in.